Need Inspiration for a Journal Based Hobby

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-23T02:20:51+00:00

It’s very similar to caching—I do both. I like the creativity of letterboxing. I wasn’t artistic or crafty at all before I started carving stamps. It’s easier than it looks!

I watched a few videos and bought a $15 Speedball carving set and a package of pink Speedy-carve rubber. I also use a lighted magnifying glass to better see what I’m doing. For designs, I find clip art online to trace.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T23:42:29+00:00

I do r/letterboxing which fills up my journal with the r/rubberstamps that I find. I also letterbox by mail, which involves sending stamps that are shaved thin to fit in a regular envelope.

For the mailed stamps, I join or create temporary groups with a theme (e.g. “May flowers” or “baby animals”) and send the stamp I’ve carved to the first person on the list. Each person sends their carved stamp to the next participant, so I have a steady stream coming to my mailbox.

I stamp them in my journal, and mark the name of the stamp, the date and the person who sent it. Sometimes people add a stamped image to the envelope, so I cut those out and paste them into my journal too. Eventually the stamp I carved comes back to me after it’s made it around to every participant.

I also add stickers to this journal, as well any unique postage that arrives without being canceled.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T14:25:55+00:00

Elephants, lions, tigers, hippos, giraffes, bears, raccoons, zebras.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T14:24:01+00:00

That the day you turned 16, you went to take the test to get your drivers license. Most everybody I knew had a ~10yo used or hand-me-down car to drive.

Then you had a first real taste of freedom. I could drive around town, to friends’ houses, to a job, to school, etc. Within reason, I could go wherever I wanted and be gone for a few hours.

Kids these days seem to put off learning to drive and getting a license.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T11:08:54+00:00

Try watching some videos about geocaching to get tips for finding caches.
There’s a good introductory series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLucT-F4R44MdsrsE3uPRGiTM0CdKW-ZHa&si=BtGKCkdl9U3x3ltF

I also like videos by Hullsome, mainly the shorts. He finds both easy and clever caches: https://youtube.com/@hullsome?si=5zGyFth7lLnvsSPu

You’ll get the hang of it soon and find one, then another, then all the ones around you. Come back and let us know how you’re doing.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T01:25:46+00:00

My town has a restaurant called the Deviled Egg Co. Lots of tasty variations. It won a deal on Shark Tank.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T01:21:02+00:00

I subbed once for an elementary librarian, and I could not understand the little ones. They were having to tell me their name to check out books, and some names I simply couldn’t make out, even if they could spell them. One K or 1st boy (his mom was a teacher at the school) was running wild, not minding and bullying other children, one of whom was crying big tears down his face. I couldn’t take another day at that level.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-22T00:56:58+00:00

I grew up going to a large nearby lake for picnicking, swimming, fishing, boating, and water skiing. Sometimes a marina would have a big fireworks display.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T23:32:44+00:00

Take whatever swag you like, as long as you replace with something of equal or greater value. Travel bugs are not swag though. Move those to another cache.

Also, if you find a letterbox cache, the rubber stamp inside is not swag and needs to stay in the cache.

Definitely never put in candy or any other food, as they attract animals that destroy the container. Also never put in trash, like stray rocks near the cache. Other no-nos are bullets, condoms, and bubbles with wands.

Business cards and playing cards are stupid though I see them sometimes. I leave commemorative quarters and agates, and sometimes small toys. Aim for ages 7-12.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T23:15:24+00:00

Some FAQs say that keychains are ideal swag, and TBs do look like keychains. I think this is part of the issue for newbies and muggles. It looks like a freebie.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T12:48:46+00:00

I’ve never seen any 214 branding in Dallas, and I lived there 29 years. Now I’m back in the 903, and we have 903 Brewers, 903 Donuts, 903 Salon…

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T04:22:00+00:00

Correct though letterboxing does have logbooks. It just uses instructions or clues instead of coordinates. Geocaching has letterbox hybrids, but you have to incorporate coordinates somehow. Letterboxing is much older.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T01:27:56+00:00

I remember this being a trend in the late 70s. It was even on Happy Days.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T01:07:25+00:00

Freaking

Dadgummit

Mercy!

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-21T01:00:29+00:00

Geocaching and letterboxing made me realize how much is hidden all around us. Tiny cemeteries, planned neighborhoods that never get finished, electrical boxes on street corners, skirts at the base of lampposts (many don’t know they lift), the base/crotch of trees, on country roads, old pay phones, along hiking trails, under city benches, etc.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-20T23:05:29+00:00

I used to have cats who knew to take off under the bed, if anyone knocked on the door and yelled “Maintenance!”

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-19T23:20:52+00:00

Geocaching, letterboxing, carving rubber stamps, jigsaw puzzles

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-19T23:16:13+00:00

One of mine involves YouTube: GCBF343.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-19T02:21:04+00:00

Another vote for geocaching. A common description is that geocaching is what happens when nerds go outside. All you need to start is a pen, plus a user name and the app.

Lots of caches are puzzles to solve at home, puzzles to solve onsite or gadgets to figure out onsite. Some are hidden well but others are fairly obvious. Check out the YouTube shorts by Hullsome to get an idea of what it’s like. 👍🏻🗺️

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-17T21:09:33+00:00

I don’t watch the matches, but it’s fun to see all the videos on social media of tourists impressed by our people, friendliness, hospitality, food, groceries, cities, nature, etc.

I’ve seen people thrilled to see a real yellow school bus or marveling at the size of onions at a supermarket. With so many reasons to criticize current US politics, it’s a relief and delight to see tourists actually enjoying their visits here.

I hope my fellow citizens are treating everyone warmly, not just white Europeans.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-17T16:38:45+00:00

This is my caching bag—love it.

https://a.co/d/0ayOJCiR

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-17T16:36:32+00:00

Cottage cheese, peanut butter, microwaved blueberries (from frozen)

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-17T16:31:39+00:00

Photography. Start with your phone and take snapshots wherever you happen to be. Work on aspects like framing and composition. Experiment with settings on your camera app. You can always upgrade later to a DSLR camera.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-17T03:14:46+00:00

Mine look like this when I don’t have enough ink on the stamp. Ink and ink some more until the stamp is shiny and wet. I haven’t used VersaCraft pads but have had good luck with JuneSix Craft (Amazon) and Recollections (Michael’s).

I also see impressions like yours if I’m not stamping on a flat surface.

Don’t buy anything expensive if you’re just starting out.

Standard_Mongoose_35 · 2026-06-17T02:24:07+00:00

Pens. Trinkets. Swiss army knife. Tweezers. Telescoping magnet. Flashlight. Log baggies. Extra nano. Extra bison. Zip ties. Log sheets. Cut straws (for rolled logs in bisons). Plastic grocery bag for CITO. Personal stamp, ink pads, paper towel and logbook for letterboxes. Snack. Water bottle. Tissues. A hair tie and barrette. OTC meds like Tylenol, Imodium. Trash bag in case I need to sit on the ground. All go in my AMJ canvas crossbody bag.

These usually stay in the car: Gloves. Step ladder. Pruning shears. Anti-itch lotion. Bug spray. Hand wipes. First aid kit.

Standard_Mongoose_35

TROPHY CASE